Lap-robe.



0.702397. Patented June in, 1902.-

J. T. FORSTEB.

LAP BUBE.

(Applieation filed Sept. 11, 1901.) (llo Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE:

.JOI'TN THOMAS FORSTER, OF DANDENONG, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

LAP-ROBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,297, dated June 10,1902'.

Application filed September 11, 1901. Serial No. 75,053. {N0 odem To allwhom it Hwy concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMAS Fonsrna, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland,residingat Dandenongroad,Dandenong, in the county ofBourke, in the State of Victoria and Commonwealth of Australia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stomach, Leg, and SaddleCovers for Horsemen, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cover for the legs andstomach of horsemen which can be instantly detached from the rider andwhich when he has alighted can be spread over the saddle, and thusprotectit either from sun or rain.

My invention includes a flat piece of waterproof or other material cutto somewhat resemble the letter A, which is secured in position when inuse to the riders waist, the front ofthe saddle, and thestirrup-supporting straps. When the saddle isempty, the portion drawnagainst the stomachcan be spread over the saddle-seat and engaged (by apocket underneath it) with the underneath portion of the crupperend ofthe said saddle. Around the waist of the rider is a waistband or belthaving twosafety-eyes thereon. This waistband is secured to the rider bya buckle which may be self-releasing. When this buckle is released, itleaves the rider free to dismount, the cover remaining protecting thesaddle and the stirrup-supporting straps, or

' the cover can be rolled and folded and, if necside elevation of thecover, the upper portion being a section through the line 00 as, Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a front view of the front sideof the cover flattened out andlooking at the front.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the saddle, showing the three eyes orrings by which the middle portion of the cover is secured, also thestirrup-supporting strap, 'to which the inside Fig. 8 is an enlarged"iew of one of the safetyeyes on the waistband.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar or corresponding partsWhere they occur in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that A is the cover, havinglegs A A. This cover has on the inside of it three springclasps B. Theseclasps engage j in eyes or rings B, secured to the front of the saddle.Near the bottom of each leg and also inside the cover are stitched orotherwise secured at each of their ends the crosspiece or straps D.Through the middle of these pass the stirrups D and stirrup-supportingstraps D The foregoing describes the method ofattachment of the cover tothe saddle.

The upper portionof the cover on the outside or front of the same hasattached thereto the two spring-clasps C. These connect to the safetyeyes or rings 0 on the waistband E. These safety-eyes have two.spring-legs G which separate when the clasp is dragged between them. Thewaistband is an ordinary strap with a self-releasing buckle Z thereon,and when the strap is disengaged from the buckle the rider is free fromthe cover. Instead of a buckle the waistband may be connected' by a hookand eye or any other quick: detaching device.

The upper portion of the cover is turned back upon itself, as seen inFig. 3, and the flap Fthus formed is held down to the inside of thecover by an elastic or other strip of flexible material G. When therider has dismounted and wishes to protect hisseat, he pulls the coverbackwardly andi passes the fiap of the pocket over the crupper end ofthe saddle. If necessary, a crupper-strap connection may be made to thetop of the cover, by which the orupper-strap can be attached.

.The fiap is held in position by the strip of elastic material.

To the front of the saddle are secured the two straps J, by which thecover when it is folded and Wrapped is strapped out of the Way.

The rolling and the folding of the cover is as follows: The horsemanpulls the stirrups and the stirrup-supporting straps from between thecross-pieces D and the cover, thereby disengaging them from the legs ofthe cover, and then commences to roll the inside of the leg over ontoitself. When this is done, he folds the bottom of the leg over onto thetop and performs the same operation with the other side. The two strapsJ are then pulled over the rolled and folded parts and passed throughtheir buckles, and the cover is then secured.

As can be well understood, the rider is per fectly free from the coverwith the exception of the two spring-clasps C, engaging with the safetyeyes or rings C on his waistband; but the said Waistband may be of anyWell-known self-releasing description, and he can easily disconnect thesaid cover either by unbuckling the strap around his waist or pullingthe spring-clasps through the safety eyes or rings on his waistband. Ifhe unclasps the springs or pulls the clasps from the safety-eyes, he

can carry his waistband away with him,whereas if he unbuckles hisWaistband he can leave it on his horse. Instead of spring-clasps to holdthe cover to the waistband I may use hooks.

The whole device complete only Weighs a few ounces, and when tucked inaround the legs of the riderand also against his stomach effectuallyprotects him not only from the most piercing Winds, but also from heavyrains.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A stomach, leg, and saddle cover for horsemen, comprisinga body ofsuitable material, a flap at the upper end of and turned back upon andunderneath said body, means for retaining the flap in said position, thepocket so formed being designed to be passed over the crupper end of asaddle for the protection of the saddle, substantially as described.

2. A stomach, leg and saddle cover for horsemen, comprising a body ofsuitable material, a flap at the upper end of and turned back upon andunderneath said body, and a strip of flexible material secured theretofor retaining the flap in said position, the pocket so formed beingdesigned to be passed over the crupper end of a saddle for theprotection thereof, substantially as described.

3. A stomach, leg and saddle cover for horsemen, comprising a body ofsuitable material, a flap turned backupon the same, and a strip ofelastic material folded in the edge of said fiap and secured thereto andalso se cured to said body for retaining said flap in its turned-backposition, the pocket so formed being designed to be passed over thecrapper end of a saddle and" to inclose the same for the protectionthereof, substantially as described. v

4. A stomach, legand saddle cover for horsemen comprising a body ofsuitable material, a downwardly-opening pocket formed at the upper endthereof,designed to be passed over the crupper end of a saddle, andmeans carried by said body for securing its lower end to the front ofsaid saddle, substantially as described.

5. A stomach, leg and saddle cover, comprising a body of suitable fiatmaterial, bi-

furcated, and the legs being designed to be passed on either side of asaddle, clasps carried by said body for securing the same to the frontend of said saddle, and means formed on said body for securing the upperend thereof about the crup per end of the saddle, substantially asdescribed.

' 6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a beltdesigned to encircle the waist of the user and provided with safetyeyes,of a bifurcated piece of material, each leg of the bifurcation beingdesigned to inclose one of the legs of the user, and clasps carried bythe upper portionv of said piece of material for engaging saidsafety-eyes, substantially as described. I

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a beltdesigned to encircle the Waist of the userand provided withsafetyeyes,of a bifurcated piece of material, one leg of the bifurcation beingdesigned to inclose each leg of the user, a strap secured to andextending across the upper portion of said piece of material, and claspscarried near the ends of said strap and designed to engage saidsafety-eyes, substantially as de- JOHN THOMAS FORSTER.

\Vitnesses:

EDWIN PHILLIPS, CECIL W. LE PLASTRIER.

